


Our eyes meet

by Renjy (Mauness)



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/F, Not quite together yet, The Gate - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 19:20:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7696222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mauness/pseuds/Renjy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the Les Mis Summer Gift Exchange 2016. </p><p>Cosette and Éponine seeing each other after all these years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Our eyes meet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flourwings](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flourwings/gifts).



The first thing that catches my eyes is the gate. It stands out in a good way. The way the gate is finished up is different than the other ones I countered down this road. There is green covering it, in a nice way. I look beyond the gate and see a girl standing there. I haven't seen her, but I might have not been watching well enough. I walk closer to the gate. In some way I feel like there is something with the girl and I can't grasp what it is. I feel like I should be able to grasp it. My mind can't seem to figure out why I should be able to feel something by someone I just met, but it feels like I should. The silence around us isn't helping me. Then our eyes meet.

_My father is sleeping and snoring with probably a bottle of a drink directly next to him. Not something new to me. The loud snoring definitely not. I hear my mother being awake and walking around in our house. She is muttering. I close my eyes and drift off._   
_My mothers voice wakes me up again. I hear that Cosette, I do know her name, needs to go to the well. She doesn't go willingly. I listen a bit further and get up. I can better see what this is about than only just listen. I walk down the old stairs and see Cosette standing near the door of our house. My mother turns to me. ‘Éponine!’ She says in a kind and sweet way._   
_She hugs me and compliments me. ‘Where are you waiting for? Go to the well,’ she then says rudely to Cosette._   
_Who was watching our exchange. She looks defeated. After one look onto me, she does leave the house._   
_I don't remember more of her after that. Before I knew it, she wasn't sweeping floors anymore or holding onto her doll. I asked my mother about it, but never got a reply and only got scolded at each time I asked. So I stopped asking._

Cosette. The reason why I was here is forgotten, as I remember the girl in front of me clearly. She has been changed, but it is unmistakeable her. Her eyes and the way she stands. We were not exactly friends in the past, still none of us moves. I wonder if she even recognizes me and then think that it must be, since she looks back at me. With a look in her eyes which I understand. Unsure what to do with the unspoken message, I run away. Avoiding the situation  
In the moment that I run away, I start to regret it. Talking with her won’t be horrible. Only I just made it a bit harder by running away. Great move on my part.

Her father has taken her away. I should have spoken to her, while I could.   
I don't foresee a next time meeting each other coming. To my surprise, I am proven wrong. I meet her a few days after the accident. In the streets   
of Paris. Definitely unexpected. So it is good that she speaks to me. ‘Éponine?’ I hear her ask.  
Her voice sounds different than I remember. More soft than in the past. I quite like it, but it almost made me forget to answer. ‘Cosette. Hey,’ I say.   
Too late to be casual. She smiles softly nevertheless. Which suits her voice and her looks well. Too well. ‘Long time no seen. How are you?’  
‘Better than my parents are,’ I answer.   
I don’t know what else to say. This normally never happens to me, so I am slightly thrown off guard. ‘We could talk with each other over some drinks?’ I ask.   
A bit boldly and without much thinking, but that would work better than talking on the streets. Cosette looks surprised. Her agreement to my proposal is a thing I didn't expect. So the surprise is shared. Side by side we walk into a café.

‘Didn't you move away?’ I ask after we have our drinks.   
Cosette laughs a little. ‘Dad moved away. I stay in our house. I can't leave everything behind like that. I refuse to stay afraid of your parents and run away,’  
‘Strong,’ I say. ‘Though my parents aren't less crazy than ten years back. Not that I would tell them where you live. I denied knowing it,’   
‘Thanks Éponine.’  
‘You don't deserve their wrath. Not now, not in the past.’  
‘I don't blame you for our past. We were both young.’   
Why does she have to be so right. We talk a little bit further and hug when we say our goodbyes. It feels weird and good at the same time. Like I could get used to it. The hug is over too fast.   
I shake the feeling off me, when I can't see Cosette anymore and leave the streets again. Now on my own.

 


End file.
